ILD stars

Liu, considered one of the rising stars of the Chinese foreign policy establishment, has often shown up in Kathmandu. Those in India who do make an effort to remember Chinese names and institutions should stumble frequently on the mysterious ILD. Do recall that Dai Bingguo, Zardari’s host, was Beijing’s special representative in the stalled talks on the boundary dispute with India. Dai, recently promoted to the State Council (China’s super cabinet), has for long been the head of the powerful International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party. Liu Hongcai who was with Nawaz Sharif in Lahore happens to be the deputy head of the ILD. The ILD is perhaps one of the most powerful but least understood organisations of the CCP; its growing profile around the sub-continent, and its widespread engagement with the political forces in our neighbourhood should make it an important object of study for New Delhi.

Maldives play

After President Hu Jintao traveled to Mauritius on a high profile visit earlier this month, his defence minister Liang Guanglie received in Beijing last week the defence minister of Maldives, Ameen Faisal. Xinhua quotes Liang as “vowing to expand bilateral military cooperation” with Maldives. As China seeks to develop a credible presence in the Indian Ocean, Beijing’s attention to Maldives is likely to be intensive and sustained. It may be recalled that Faisal, who represents the new democratic dispensation in Maldives, was in New Delhi a few weeks ago and received by Defence Minister AK Antony and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

... contd.